Can Asheville save its water system from Republican takeover?| AshevilleWater.blogspot.com continues to follow the political machinations of North Carolina Republicans who want to take over the Asheville water system against the will of the majority of Asheville citizens. Posted as a referendum in the 2012 election, Buncombe County citizens greatly oppose the loss of ownership; yet NC Republicans continue to champion the Asheville water takeover despite public outcry. The poll reveals by an 85% to 15% margin that North Carolinians of all political persuasions oppose the Asheville water takeover law by legislative action, which is lead by Republicans who now control the NC state legislature. Follow the latest anti-Asheville antics by Repubs at AshevilleWater.blogspot.com: More>

Art is more powerful than the gun | Connie Bostic, Asheville's living legend and artist, exhibited her latest brilliance in a must-see, new art exhibit, entitled "The Gun Show," throughout March 2013 at the Flood Gallery in the River District of Downtown Asheville. The opening reception was held Sat., Mar. 2, 2013, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. | FloodGallery.org: More> | MountainX.com: More>

Buy local, save local | Asheville Grown Business Alliance now offers a "Go Local Card" to support public education and local businesses. The card provides discount prices and special members-only offers. | Go Local Card:More> | Unchained and Independent News at Ashevillegrown.com: More>

Patrick McHenry gerrymanders his way to 2012 victory | This is the first time that Liberal Asheville has now officially been gerrymandered by Republicans into the same district as Conservative Hickory. The two cities are located one hour and 20 minutes apart. If that isn't gerrymandering and should be undone for the sake of Asheville and democracy in North Carolina, then one has blinders on. Why? Because Asheville is located in the heart of mountainous Western North Carolina and Hickory is firmly planted in the Piedmont. Each city and its citizens have a completely different history, culture, set of needs and values. So ask yourself: is this 10th District manipulation and redrawing of a federal voting district more akin to American democracy or closer to Russian communism in its approach? The long and short of it: A vote FOR Democratic Patsy Keever in the 10th District of North Carolina is a vote AGAINST Russian-like tyrannical tactics embodied in Patrick McHenry. Vote for American freedom. Vote for Patsy Keever. | More>

New 10th District Map and report about how more of Buncombe County and Asheville is stripped from the 11th District | Reported by Mountainx.com: More> | Gerrymandered Map:More> | More Gerrymandered Map analysis:More>

Previous 10th District Map and Facts of the Republican fraud published at Ballotpedia.org: More>

Why NC Republicans deserve to be removed from office in 2014Political pundits foresaw changes coming in voting districts when Republicans won the majority in the NC House and Senate in the last election. However, the proposal and subsequent passage by Republicans to remove Asheville from the 11th U.S. voting district that covers Western North Carolina counties, and put it with Hickory's 10th district is beyond the pale. Asheville City Council member Cecil Bothwell held a town hall meeting on July 7, 2011, to make the public aware of the outrage. The Asheville Citizen-Times editorial board decried the proposed gerrymandering by NC Republicans as "Crazy. Offensive. Preposterous. Scandalous." | The fight continues in the NC Supreme Court as Republicans argue that less transparency is warranted. Winston-Salem Journal gives its take on the issue in a July 13, 2012, op-ed: More>

Republicans used to care about community. What happened? | Washingtonpost.com columnist E.J. Dionne, Jr., examines how Republicans in Congress have lost their way, in his May 24, 2012, commentary. Perhaps it explains, in part, why North Carolina Republicans have become unbalanced, a roughshod party of dividers and haters. Writes Dionne: "I have long admired the conservative tradition... but the new conservatism, with all its claims of representing the values that inspired our founders, breaks with the country's deepest traditions." He continues: "For much of our history, Americans... have avoided the kind of polarized politics that we have now. We did so because we understood that it is when we balance our individualism with a sense of communal obligation that we are most ourselves as Americans." | More>

*TAKE A HIKE around Asheville| Download an excellent walking guide to the Asheville area and Buncombe County. | More>

* If it's Wednesday, it must be Asheville Green Drinks | On most Wednesdays, Green Drinks presentations are held at Posana Cafe on Pack Square | Socializing at 5:30 p.m., program at 6:00 p.m. | Open to one and all:More> | Complete Green Drinks schedule:More>

*2012 GREEN BUILDING DIRECTORYavailable online and in print | This free, annual update offers articles, case studies and checklists about sustainable building practices, and lists who can get the job done.Click Here>

*WNC Green Building Council Catalog| To read the 2011 directory online, visit wncgreenbuilding.com or Click Here>| For details about the Council, visit wncgbc.org or Click Here>

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*Will Scrutiny Hooligans survive?| While considering the future of ScrutinyHooligans.us — Asheville's best progressive political blog — enjoy Mayor Bellamy as she (purportedly) belts out a song to get you in the mood to do some good now. More>

*AIRasheville.org | The trade group of Asheville's independent restaurants offers an excellent list of area eateries. | To link to scores of websites, Click Here>

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*FOR SEVEN CONSECUTIVE YEARS, DowntownAsheville.com has been reporting the news about our unique urban community | The more we know, the more we can help do our most important job: Keep Asheville Weird. And thanks for helping us do just that. | More>

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